Trump Hits a New Low as He Bleeds Republican Support (Vanity Fair)

Trump Hits a New Low as He Bleeds Republican Support

http://bit.ly/2gOTmPE

By Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images.

As Steve Bannon’s war on the G.O.P. establishment escalates and Donald Trump’s feuds with big-name Republican Senators spill into the open, the president has dug in his heels and doubled down on his core supporter base. In doing so, however, he appears to have alienated just about everyone else, including key slices of the Republican electorate.

Trump has battled historically low popularity since he took office, and his support continues to flag with just 38 percent of voters approving of his job as president. Nine months into his presidency, the country remains sharply divided over Trump along partisan lines. According to a new Fox News poll, 83 percent of Republican voters still approve of Trump, compared to 7 percent of Democrats. But while his overall support among G.O.P. has remained steady, the Fox News poll found that the president’s support among two critical demographics is eroding—which could portend serious problems for the president and the G.O.P. in 2018 and 2020.

Among white evangelical Christians, Trump’s approval rating slipped to 66 percent from 74 percent last month. Similarly, his support among white men without a college degree dropped 12 points, to 56 percent. During the 2016 election, white evangelical Christians and working class white men overwhelmingly voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton—80 percent and 71 percent, respectively, according to Fox News. Trump’s approval is underwater on his handling of health-care, North Korea, Iran, the economy and taxes, according to the Fox News poll. His dwindling support among voting blocs that were key to ascension could prompt more Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill to break with Trump, potentially jeopardizing his already stalled stalled agenda—particularly if the White House fails to deliver on tax reform.

Within days of McCain criticizing what he characterized as Trump’s “spurious, half-baked nationalism,” Corker asserting that the president “has great difficulty with the truth,” and Flake urging his G.O.P. colleagues to stand up to Trump, rank and file Republicans aligned themselves with Trump—but many made it clear that their support wasn’t steadfast, but rather contingent upon the party’s ability to pass tax reform. “I’m focused on results, and that’s why I’m here,” Lindsey Graham said. “I’d rather not be a constant critic. I’ll stand up when I need to, but I’m trying to get taxes cut.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed the sentiment. “There’s a lot of noise out there,” the Kentucky lawmaker said Tuesday. “Tax reform is what we are about.”